SHIELD Book 1 of Alex & Allie Save The World
by alliekatt314
Summary: Batman and Gypsy Sentinel have been keeping vigil over Gotham for years, dutifully serving the people. An alien attack in Metropolis draws the heroes from their city but mysteriously they save only one girl and carry her from a fallen tower on the outskirts of the main danger zone before disappearing, raising the question: why Allison Gray?
1. Chapter 1 Elevator

"Alex would you care to tell me why my itinerary for the day has me touring a tower for sale?" Allie questions in annoyed confusion. She's going over the email Editor-n-Chief Aldridge sent her for her Metropolis business trip.

"Oh you saw that?" Alex returns coyly and Allie rolls her eyes, though Alex can't see.

"Yes I saw that. Alex you love Gotham, I love Gotham, why would we move the Gotham City Sentinel to Metropolis?" Allie deadpans and Alex chuckles.

"Oh God no! I would never! No, Allie I'm thinking of buying out the Daily Planet and if I do I'd like to move them out of that piece of crap they call a building," Alex explains and Allie breathes a sigh of relief. "That's why I have you meeting Mr. White and some of his journalists today."

"Good. It's crazy but Gotham has become our home."

"I know. Trust me I won't have us return to live at the root of all our discontent any time soon," Alex promises, referring to their shared traumas and troubles endured in Metropolis.

"Yeah but we can both admit Metropolis is a much better place to grow up in compared to Gotham," Allie points out. "Less murder."

"True, but Gotham has its charms and speaking of Gotham's charms I have a meeting about its best newspaper," Alex remarks.

"Alright I should go through the motions of my day, love you."

"Love you too." Alex hangs up and Allie smiles, shoulders back and stature straightened.

Usually Allie is two steps behind Alex at those meetings, usually Allie is right beside Alex.

Allison Gray pockets her phone and adjusts the collar on her jacket. She feels nervous being away from Alex and dealing with business on her own but it needs to be done.

"Alright Jerry, just pull over and park whenever you can and I can walk the extra distance," Allie instructs to the driver. She hates driving and never properly learned so Alex has a personal driver on call for whenever she can't drive Allie herself.

"Of course, Ms. Gray," he responds.

A few blocks later Jerry parks the silver Mercedes on the street and Allie steps out.

"I'll be away for at least three hours, Jerry so take a paid break. If you want lunch or anything you can charge up to sixty dollars to the company," Allie instructs and he gives a grateful nod.

Allison feels a pit in her stomach as she walks alone in the direction of the building for sale. Strangely enough, Gotham is her home now and so it feels safer than Metropolis.

Less than a block away sits the vacant office tower that used to be a Wayne Foundation center until they moved up the street. It's nothing like the Gotham City Sentinel skyscraper but it's certainly more formidable than the Daily Planet's current building.

"One thing is for certain, if we come here then Wayne will have a bigger dick in Metropolis than we do," Allie grumbles to herself as she bounces up the steps to the front entrance. She reaches the doors and swings the left one open, coming face to face with two grinning realtors. One is Rick, Wayne's realtor, and the other, Dick, Aldridge's realtor. In simpler terms Dick is on her side and Rick is not.

"Rick, Dick, nice to see you both," Allie greets and politely shakes both their hands. Rick is there to make sure Allie only sees the best in the building and Dick is there to drive the price down for Allie. "Will your boss be joining us Rick?"

"Oh no, Mr. Wayne is very busy right now," Rick replies and Allie can't help but feeling a bit let down. She had been holding to see Bruce today.

"Too busy to make a quick and polite greeting to the woman who may be buying his building? That is just poor form, isn't is Ms. Gray?" Dick comments sourly.

"Well Ms. Aldridge isn't present either so it's all the same to me," Allie decides and Dick stands down. She has always been a peacemaker, it's a natural tendency for her even when she's making peace between two individuals she doesn't even like.

"Then let's start the grand tour shall we?" Rick invites with a draping hand flourish. The stocky man leads the way through the lobby towards the main set of elevators.

Allie quickly notices the building's furnishings and design are all modern and freshly done.

"Was this building renovated after Wayne moved his foundation?" Allie questions.

"Yes when Mr. Wayne heard Ms. Aldridge and you were possibly interested he had the whole thing redone," Rick explains and Allie gawks.

"How gracious," she remarks, unsure of what else to say.

"Oh yes, and he didn't even up the asking price," Rick furthers and even Dick balks at this.

"Now I'd feel rude if we didn't buy," Allie murmurs to Dick and huffs.

"A tactic."

"Excuse me?" Rick asks and Dick shrugs.

"You're excused." Rick bristles and scowls.

Allie rolls her eyes and steps forward, pressing the elevator button for up.

"The elevator is remarkably fast, fastest one in the city," Rick brags, dragging his laser eyes from Dick.

"Impressive," Allie says as the doors slide open. The three pile in and Rick presses the button for the fifth floor.

"Why the fifth? What's wrong with one through four?" Dick demands.

"Nothing, they are simply all the same."

"I'll need to see them all," Dick deadpans and Allie inwardly groans. The building tour will take ages off her life if she has to view all the floors with these catty men.

The elevator ride is blissfully short but Allie knows many more are in her future.

"This floor is like the four below it and the other five above it, all office spaces," Rick informs as they step off. Allie meanders forward, her eyes scanning the space and her feet mindlessly taking her around.

An idea comes to her as she strolls and makes her examinations, an idea to rid her of Rick and Dick.

"Gentlemen," she calls and they both stand at attention. They may be much taller and much bigger than her but somehow they make themselves small before her petite stature. "I believe you can both handle yourselves without my watching. I am sure you can take Dick to all the floors he requests, Rick, and I'm sure you can ask all the questions you want, Dick, without my presence. How about you two go on with the tour and logistics while I examine certain floors at my own pace?"

"That sounds fine," they both agree in tandem and then flinch in disgust. Allie grins and claps her hands.

"Then I shall take the elevator up to the very top floor as Ms. Aldridge and I would work there. Once you've both finished, Dick can call me with his full review and I'll report back to Ms. Aldridge." Allison turns on her pink heel and heads to the far elevator, hopping in without a glance back at Dick and Rick.

She runs her fingers along the buttons and presses the highest number, reveling in the elevator rocketing upwards. Alex won't mind Allie's abandonment of the realtors, besides if Alex really intends on buying the building she'll come tour it for herself.

Allison buzzes with excitement as the elevator comes to a halt and the doors open to real an entirely glass top floor. The skyline surrounds her in a grand view and Allie rushes to the windows, looking out in awe. Metropolis really is much brighter than Gotham. She is drawn to city life, to the bright lights, constant cacophony of noise, the endless things to do. In her youth cities rushed her anxiety but these days she has someone by her side soothing the worst of her nerves, allowing her to enjoy all the vivacious wonders life has to offer an enchanting girl like her.

She strolls onto the main glass office space, much like Alex's now, and continues marveling.

Allie snaps a photo of the view and sends it to both Alex and Bruce Wayne.

" _Why would you ever abandon a view like this_?" she texts him and surprisingly he responds immediately.

" _So you're in the building? How do you like the remodel I did_ " he asks, avoiding her question. If it were any other girl he would give a flirty remark but this isn't any other girl, this is Allison Gray. " _A little birdie told me you like a more modern style. Cubes and all that."_

" _The birdie told you right. I really like what you've done to the place_." Allie is curious to who the birdie is, she can't imagine Alex would tell Bruce Wayne and she can't think of anyone else she talks too. " _Who is your source?"_

" _A journalist never reveals his source_ ," Bruce counters and Allie rolls her eyes. She finds herself plopping down into the large spinning armchair behind the grand desk and twirling excitedly.

" _We aren't journalists_."

" _No, I suppose we just own newspapers_." Allie shakes her head and returns her attention to the view of Metropolis.

Her eyes sweep over the sky until her gaze is tripped up by an odd sight. Allie squints, trying to look closer, but she doesn't have to strain for long as the object quickly becomes clear.

An unfamiliar aircraft descending from the clouds all too quickly. The ship has three large prongs and appears almost like a devilish jellyfish.

"Alien ship, that's fun," Allie breathes out. Her chest is becoming tight while she tries to decide what to do. "Maybe it's peac-"

A bright blue beam shooting down from the center of the prongs and into the center of Metropolis cuts her off mid-sentence. The ground shakes and Allie grips the sides of the chair, concern growing.

"Not peaceful," she mutters. In this second she begins strategizing all possible options for herself.

If she makes it out of the building then she'll be on the streets and chances are Jerry won't be around. If he is able to get her then they'd both be stuck in traffic of escaping civilians.

Being up in the tower protects her from falling debris and the sure stampede of panicked people. But buildings collapse all the time.

And so she stands paralyzed by all the hazards of every scenario she can visualize up in her mind.

Her phone starts vibrating and rolling her eyes from the scene she finds Bruce Wayne calling her.

"Bruce, is anything in your old building fortified for like mass collisions?" she rushes out the second she accepts his call.

"Yes, the elevators, get in one now!" he shouts urgently and Allie's mouth goes dry. Her feet are cemented to the floor and her eyes glued to the destruction of Metropolis.

"Bruce I-I-we should-"

"We will talk when you survive, get in that elevator and I will get you when this is over, I promise," he vows and the call cuts out.

The beam is shaking the ground and sucking the hapless structures from the center of the city into it.

On top of the alien ship Allie spies two flying men locked in aerial combat.

Buildings are shuddering and collapsing as the men hurl each other into them and the beam ruptures their integrity.

Her feet finally move and she begins heading for the fortified shelter. A natural sequence of buttons flies through her fingers and soon her phone is pressed against her ear, ringing again and again.

Nobody picks up and the answering machine goes off.

"You have somehow reached the private number of Alexandra Aldridge. I'm not answering because I'm either busy, I didn't recognize your number, or I recognized your number but I dislike you. I most likely will not get back to you but my lovely and single assistant, Allison Gray, will."

"Alex if you get this I'm in the old Wayne tech building, please don't look for my body. I don't want you to see my mangled corpse," Allie says as she wipes stray tears escaping from her eyes. "I-I left a message for you, you'll know where." By a final shred of luck Allie completes her message before the line goes dead and a service error pops up on her phone.

Allie stops before the elevator and frantically pushes the buttons, willing it to open faster. The one to the right dings so she jumps to it, irrationally hitting the doors to speed them up.

Something churns in her stomach and abruptly despairing emotions hit her.

A sound like a gunshot goes off behind her followed by glass shattering, the most of the ceiling falling through, and a man crashing into the elevator next to her. Allie screams and flattens herself against the doors, panic fully taking over now. Her hand flies over her mouth to muffle her shout and heavy desperate breathing.

She has no idea if the living projectile is the hero or villain in this situation. The man who collided with the building was clearly thrown and whatever threw him could be here any second so hero or villain it doesn't matter.

Forcing herself to inhale deeply Allison blinks and focuses on the crumpled form. He is dressed in a blue bodysuit with a red cape and red boots. The bright colors suggest hero to Allie and he does appear familiar.

"Are you the good guy or bad guy?" she squeaks out.

"Good," he huffs.

"Alright then, uhm...you're doing great but if you could just-just get up and fight back that'd be great," Allie rambles and flushes bright red. Who is she to tell a superhero how to do his job? "I mean the thing that threw you, it's gonna be here any second and I-I have a feeling I won't survive being in the blast radius of that."

"You won't." He pushes himself up and meets the gaze of Allison Gray. It is then she finally recognizes him from the papers, a new alien superhero, Superman.

Allie glances up and goes pale, the elevator lights are off. The power is out.

"Please, please would you open these doors? This elevator is fortified and I may live if you just-"

"Your building is stable but it won't be if I allow him to get close," Superman interjects and takes off to intercept the other alien mid-flight. He was gone before Allie could even comprehend what had happened or his intentions.

The hero left her.

The building creaks and groans and Allison frantically claws at the doors of the elevator.

"Please open, oh please open, please!" she cries, attempting to pull them apart. Her hands slip and her muscles fail her. "Please stay stable!" she shouts to the infrastructure below her.

The elevator doors do not listen to her pleas nor does the tower beneath.

A sickly electric charge runs through her just when it seems her situation could not worsen the slightest bit. She whips around in time to watch a pair of lasers tear through the ceiling above her and the multitude of levels below her. The aliens are now fighting with laser eyes as if Allison wasn't fucked enough.

Her eyes close and she releases a breath.

The elevator doors won't open and this building is going to collapse any second, there's nothing to do but make peace with her end.

Pieces of the roof begin raining down around her and the entirety of the tower shakes and shudders.

Allison Gray turns and in a last-ditch effort exerts as much fierce as she can trying to pull those doors open.

Suddenly dents appear in the metal above her hands and the doors fly open causing her to fall forward into the elevator, the gates slamming shut behind her. She only has seconds to gape in shock and relief before her and her shelter goes plummeting down.

The moment of impact snaps her head back and consumes all conscious thought.


	2. Chapter 2 Rescue

Metropolis falls to pieces while the civilians helplessly look on.

Batman is on the scene before anyone else somehow and beelines from Wayne Tech down the road.

The masked hero begins searching through the debris.

A humvee screeches down the street and barely comes to a stop before Gypsy Sentinel is leaping out.

"Batman!" she calls as she dashes to him amidst the ruin.

"Gypsy!" he returns. The heroes are both frantic, horrified, and despairing. The female hero lowers her voice upon reaching Batman and grabs the front of his suit. She pulls him in close, her eyes nearly hopeless.

"Have you found her?"

"Before the building collapsed I called her and told her to get in one of the elevators. They're reinforced, she could have survived," he informs and Alex balks.

"She survived! Help me find the damn elevators," Alex snarls and releases him roughly.

In the ash and dust two volatile vigilantes scour the rubble for a single significant girl.

They work together lifting heavier pieces of walls and flooring, searching every inch of the site.

Time passes and the heroes grow frantic. If she's alive she won't be for much longer under all the detritus.

With each slab flipped over and revealing nothing Gypsy Sentinel huffs in frustration and Batman growls in vexation.

Finally Gypsy overturns a chunk of ceiling and finds a metal box underneath. It's an elevator! But the doors are dented partially open and the siding horribly deformed.

"Batman!" Gypsy cries out and he flies to her side. He bends down and starts prying the doors open but Alex is stalled in place, remembering Allie's voicemail.

"Could you lend a hand?" Batman grunts and Alex snaps back into focus. Gypsy crouches down and it's her hands besides his, yanking with all her strength.

The doors give and the first thing they see is a bloody curl of blonde hair.

Alexandra Aldridge is paralyzed at the sight, fear striking her down as she falls to her knees, groping the rock for her moon.

"Allie?" Her voice is broken and tiny as the body of Allison Gray is unearthed. The outfit she was so excited about this morning is ripped and stained black and red around her. Alex vividly remembers Allie picking the white long sleeved shirt and the constellation skirt as she flounced around their mansion.

Gypsy Sentinel reaches down and ever so gently lifts Allison Gray into her arms.

The image of Allison Gray draped in the arms of Gypsy Sentinel before Batman is a haunting one. Her entire body is limp; her arms and legs hang down and her head is dropped back. Blood and shreds of clothes fall from Allison as she is held in the heroes arms.

"Allie? Allie!" Alex repeats and gingerly shakes the girl. Batman pulls a glove off, steps up and places two fingers against Allie's throat.

"She has a pulse! We can save her!" he exclaims and hope delights in the both of them.

"The humvee, you drive!" Alex barks and the vigilantes scramble to get to the car.

Navigating the terrain of a collapsed building was difficult before but now, with precious cargo in hands, it is nearly impossible. Every bump and jostle creates quiet but sharp sounds from Allie.

A large obstacle comes up and Batman leaps over it and then holds his arms out to accept Allison. Gypsy Sentinel hesitates, Batman has been a crime fighting ally for awhile now but she isn't sure she can trust him with the most precious thing in her life.

"I won't let her fall, I promise."

Slowly Alex acquiesces and passes Allie into Bruce's awaiting arms. Without an injured one hundred and fifty puns weight in her arms Gypsy Sentinel can hop over the large metal support beam with ease. Once over she greedily takes Allison back from Batman.

They make it to the humvee and together they arrange Allison Gray in the backseat with her head securely in Alex's lap.

"Step on it Bruce," Alex hisses and he gives a tight nod.

The Batman is an excellent driver, of the Batmobile, and a halfway decent insanely reckless driver of a hummer.

The larger than necessary vehicle zips down the roads of Metropolis, dodging ambulances and fire trucks and various road blocks.

Alex keeps her fingers on her moons neck, assuring a pulse, and with her other hand brushes the limp girls hair.

"The hospital is going to be overrun," Bruce croaks.

"Fuck you're right, what do we do then?"

"Airlift her to Wayne Memorial from the Metropolis helipad," Bruce suggests and Alex nods.

"You call the hospital and I'll call my chopper." Bruce pulls out his phone but before he can dial Alex clears her throat. "Your voice modulator. I know Batman has friends at the hospital but Bruce Wayne has more." He nods and presses something on the side of his cowl before starting the call.

"Wayne Memorial Hospital, How may I direct your call?"

"Stephanie! Long time no see," he greets in that stupid charming socialite tone.

"Mr. Wayne, I assume you need something," Stephanie, a secretary and experienced nurse, deadpans.

"You're right this is my 'I need a favor' voice. It's urgent, Allison Gray was in the old Wayne Tech building during the attack and she's in bad shape. The hospital here is overcrowded so I'm airlifting her to you," Bruce explains quickly. Alex strains to hear the woman on the other line cry out in horror and then begin barking orders and commands.

"We'll be ready. I'm paging her hematologist, psychiatrist, therapist, cardiologist, and primary care doctor now," Stephanie informs. "You get here here as fast as possible Mr. Wayne and don't you let her bleed out on the way!"

"Thank you so much! I knew you'd agree with me. She'll be there as soon as possible. I promise." He hangs up and Alex raises an eyebrow at him.

"They know Allison there?"

"Allison Gray is only slightly less popular at the hospital than I am," Bruce responds and Alex chuckles.

"I suppose her squad of doctors all work there," Alex comments offhandedly and smiles down at her friend.

"Time for your call," Bruce reminds and Alex nods. She cautiously shifts to fish her phone from one of the many hidden pockets in her suit. Once she finds it she presses the emergency contact for Harold, their helicopter pilot.

"What can I do you for Ms. Aldridge?"

"I need you to get to the Metropolis General helipad now," Alex orders darkly and then flinches. Allie wouldn't appreciate her being short with Harold. "Please, we need Ms. Gray to be airlifted to Wayne Memorial."

"I'm on my way now! I'll be there lickety split!" he promises. He sounds just as worried as Alex is.

"Thank you." Alex hangs up after and returns her full attention to Allie. She seems so small and broken, Alex has never seen her this injured before. Allie wasn't even this hurt on that fateful day years ago in front of the Metropolis court house. "People adore you Allison Gray, you have to stay alive."

It takes an agonizing eternity to reach Metropolis General but when they finally do by some miracle Harold is already there with a paramedic in tow.

Harold goes pale when he spies Gypsy Sentinel carrying Allison and Batman by her side.

"Ms. Aldridge and Mr. Wayne sent us," Batman states gruffly as the heroes mount the chopper.

"Of course. I-I hope you don't mind the extra company back there," Harold replies shakily, referring to the paramedic.

"Not at all. I'm sure Ms. Aldridge will give you a raise for the fast thinking," Gypsy returns and the man flushes. Harold is quick to kick the helicopter into gear and take off.

Gypsy tilts her head at the star struck medic, inviting him to act.

"Oh yes! I'm John, I work in IT but I used to be a paramedic. Please lay her on this board, we need to keep her as still as possible," he guides and Alex begrudgingly surrenders Allie but continues to hold one of her hands tightly. The man kneels down and begins examining her. "She is definitely severely concussed, her right arm is broken as well as her left leg, there are definitely broken ribs, and a multitude of cuts and bruises."

Gypsy Sentinel is a superhero, she does not feel sick at the sight of blood and bodies but right about now she feels like she could pass out.

The thought of losing Allie to something akin to a tragic accident is utterly sickening, the thought of losing Allie period is worse enough in itself.

"She has definitely lost a lot of blood and she doesn't seem to be clotting at all," the medic mutters and furrows his eyebrows. Gypsy Sentinel lurches, suddenly remembering a crucial detail about Allison Gray's health.

"Ms. Aldridge informed me that Ms. Gray is on blood thinners!" Gypsy blurts out and John pales.

"Harold how far are we!?" John calls instead of saying anything to the now terrified vigilantes.

"Five minutes!"

John bends over, muttering to himself, and begins frantically tying tourniquets over Allison's worst open wounds.

Gypsy locks eyes with Batman and they swap mutually terrified expressions. What if they were too late? What if Alex sent Allie to Metropolis to die?

Helpless eyes observe as the paramedic frenetically works over Allison Gray. She is still, too still, and almost gone. Her hand is cold in Alex's as it always is. Gypsy Sentinel sucks her head down and clutches the hand of her unknowing partner, focusing on her many ingrained palm lines.

Harold comes in on Gotham Memorial and lands the chopper sloppily in favor of haste. The second it comes down a team of doctors are sprinting up with a gurney.

John assists them in lifting the spinal board and they begin pulling Allie away. It is clear Alex needs to let go of Allie but she still pauses.

She doesn't want Allie to feel alone.

Alex is forced to drop Allie's hand and it stings her heart.

Gypsy Sentinel moves to follow the gurney as it leaves but Batman stays her.

"What?" she snarls viciously and about to amputate the mans arm.

The nurses and doctors wheel Allison Gray into the hospital and out of sight.

"It is time for us to go," he says lowly. "It's time for Gypsy Sentinel and I to go." The message is clear, the vigilantes cannot linger. Alex grumbles and stomps away, heading for an alley or some other escape.

Batman and Gypsy Sentinel leave the hospital and disappear onto the streets.

III

Bruce Wayne and Alexandra Aldridge appear in a flurry of frantic motions and pleas.

"Where is she?! Where is she?! Where's Allison Gray?" Alex calls as she sprints to the front desk. She is playing the part of a business woman finally losing her composure over a dear friend, or in other words, finally allowing herself to express her true outward emotion.

"I called earlier! She should be here already! Is she here?" Bruce adds as he follows Alex. He is disgruntled himself but the reason for that shall remain a mystery to the media and Alex.

"Relax both of you!" Stephanie scolds and the moguls halt to pant through coughing breaths.

"Ms. Gray is here and she is in surgery right now."

"Were all her doctors informed? She's on blood thinners and antidepressants, they know that right? Does she need blood? Because I can get a donor," Alex rambles needlessly.

"Ms. Aldridge, all her doctors have been informed as they all work here and they are aware her medications," Stephanie responds patiently. "Dr. Shaw will be our momentarily to give you more details but for now I need you both to wait." The millionaires back away from the counter and turn to whisper together in an almost business-like congress.

"What do we do?" Alex hisses.

"I think we go and sit in the waiting room Aldridge," Bruce remarks and Alex gapes.

"What the fuck did you just say to me?"

"We need to wait in the waiting room," Bruce repeats and Alex splutters.

"Like a fucking civilian?"

"Yes, because we are in fact civilians and there is nothing we can do to help her now," Bruce deadpans and Alex's fearsome expression falls downcast.

"You're right, we're helpless." Bruce squeezes Alex's arm in a comforting manner and shakes his head.

"We are not helpless. We are going to wait in that lobby but we aren't going to do nothing. We can coordinate relief efforts and foundations for Metropolis, we can send for clothes and things Allison would want, and we can keep our wits about us Alexandra." Alex nods and shuffles towards a chair, flopping herself down and staring blankly.

"You're right."

"Thank you."

"But if you ever call me Alexandra ever again I will cut your dick off and feed it to you. You can cook it anyway you like and have all the condiments you want but you have to finish," Alex growls and Bruce Wayne gulps.

"Of course." Bruce sits beside her and they settle into silence. His suggestions for action are momentarily ignored as they try to overcome the shock of it.

"She would appreciate you being here," Alex admits sullenly.

"She would appreciate that you are not alone," Bruce amends and Alex shakes her head.

"That and she would appreciate you being here for her," Alex corrects sternly. "And she'd hate me for saying it to you."

"I told her that we would talk after she survived," Bruce confesses and half smiles.

"Such a stupid way of phrasing it."

"I'm surprised she didn't call you out for that."

"Well she was a bit distracted," Bruce allows and their smiles fade.

"Yeah."

It's quiet again and this time it stays that way until Dr. Shaw strolls up. The woman is as always calm and collected but there is a wild look in her eyes and wrinkles in her appearance.

"Ms. Aldridge?" Alex meets the gaze of the statuesque doctor and jumps to her feet.

"How is she? What's the status? Does she need blood? Wayne here is O Negative," Alex fires off and Bruce raises an eyebrow.

"How do you know my blood type?"

"Allison is stabilizing but yes, she will need more blood," Dr. Shaw responds. "And with the Metropolis crisis I'm not sure we can get more pints of her blood type."

"Then Bruce has O Negative!"

"I have O Negative!" Alex and Bruce exclaim in unison and the man gets to his feet.

"Mr. Wayne if you could come with me and Ms. Aldridge you're welcome to come too."

Dr. Shaw leads them from the waiting room towards a more private room intended for blood donations. Alex and Bruce have never power walked like suburban white woman so hard in their lives.

Bruce slams himself into a hair and rolls up his sleeve, freely offering his vein.

A flustered RN prods Bruce in the wrong spot twice before finally finding his vein.

"Bruce your overcompensating muscles are fucking us," Alex quips.

It takes a good half hour before Bruce is done donating two pints.

"Will he be groggy and maybe act like a stupid drunk because that would be the only thing to make this better," Alex inquires to the RN who nods.

"A little but the machine circulated his plasma back in so it won't be too bad but don't allow him to drive and keep an eye on him," the RN instructs and rushes off to deliver the blood.

"You're fine," Alex says, waving off Bruce's pale complexion.

"Completely," he agrees and stands. Bruce wobbles for a second and then passes right out onto the floor while Alex watches indifferently.

"Baby," she insults and bends down to scoop him up off the floor.

Alex carries him bridal style back to the waiting room and shoves him off onto a couch before sitting herself.

"I should call the Sentinel, they'll be wondering what happened," Alex murmurs and pulls out her phone. The second it turns on a million messages and assorted notifications pop up all at once. Alex sighs and unlocks the device, opening first the texts from her executive staff.

" _Boss Lady, the meeting is still going, where are you_ " From Jason Carr, the print editor.

" _Chief, we turned on the news and please tell me you didn't go to Metropolis to find her_." From Janet Mett, the website editor.

" _Ms. Aldridge! Gypsy Sentinel and Batman rescued Allison_!" From Deana Trey, the design editor.

" _Boss are you at the hospital with Allison? Is she gonna be alright_?" From Jim Keller, the managing editor.

" _Ms. Aldridge! I saw the news! I couldn't get to Metropolis fast enough. There was a disaster in Star City, but I'm on my way_ " From Barry, their shared protege. Alex shoots a response to Barry, indicating where they are so he can come see Allie too.

After pouring over more messages of concern and support Alex opens her email to find a slew of photographs from the attack, the most intriguing ones being of Gypsy Sentinel and Batman rescuing a single victim, Allison Gray.

Alex's google alert on Allie is alight with posts about her rescues, well wishes for her, theories as to why Gypsy Sentinel and Batman only saved her, and more pictures.

"Oh, we've got ourselves into a fine mess Wayne," Alex grumbles to him but he says nothing. She glances over to find him slowly coming too and blinking rapidly to clear his swimming vision.

There will be rumors to the identities of Gypsy Sentinel and Batman now along with speculations on their relationship to Allison Gray. Scrutiny will come with, criticizing the supposed heroes for solely helping one girl. People will think of the most outlandish things and some of them could hit the nose on the head if Alex and Bruce don't deflect as soon as possible.

"Look alive Brucie, our little excursion is fucking us." Alex kicks his leg and he goes rigid, finally looking attentive and awake. "We have damage control to do." She shows him the images and news on her phone and he frowns.

"Shit," he groans and holds his head.

"We should go to Metropolis and help with rescue and clean up," Alex suggest and he nods before sighing deeply.

"It has to be done doesn't it?"

"We'll lend a hand as long as we can," Alex decides and stands. Guilt stirs in her mind as she approaches Stephanie at the front desk.

"Ms. Aldridge is there anything I can help you with?" Stephanie inquires after noticing Alex there.

"How long will it be?"

"It could be quite some time until she's out of surgery and after that even more until she wakes up," Stephanie replies and Alex bites her lip.

"Mr. Wayne and I, we have to go and handle about a million emergencies so could you call me-and him actually-after the surgery?"

"Of course," Stephanie obliges and gives a sweet smile. "Don't feel guilty plenty of people need to keep busy to distract themselves at times like this."

"I don't want her to be alone," Alex admits and Stephanie gives a sympathetic smile.

At that second Barry comes tearing through the lobby and skitters to a stop at the desk.

"Allison Gray!" he exclaims while breathing heavily and his eyes jolting around. When he finally notices Alex standing there he zips closer to her. "Oh! Ms. Aldridge!" Alex grins at the boy and pulls him into a hug.

"Thank god you're here Barry," she sighs and then stops to whisper in his ear. "I have to go and do some heroing, will you stay here?"

"Of course," he agrees. Alex pulls away and nods to Stephanie.

"Anyway, can't stop moving," Alex remarks and heads for the door. "Saddle up Wayne!"


	3. Chapter 3 Brain Dead

Gypsy Sentinel and Batman help with search and rescue for hours and hours, keeping their minds busy with the needs of others.

By nightfall Alex is by Allison's side, making a semi-permanent residence in her hospital room.

III

Allison Gray sleeps for days in the hospital. Flowers, cards, and colorful blankets cover the unpigmented and plain decor of her room. A miniature satellite office is set up next to Allie's bed where from Alex runs the Gotham City Sentinel. Alex rarely leaves Allie's bedside and even Bruce Wayne visits with some frequency.

Miraculously Allie is due to recover with no long-term physical damage done but she has yet to awaken.

At times when Alex speaks to her things will shuffle in the room and tip over and a strange feeling of being hugged will come over Alex. When Bruce comes in he feels squeezes on his hands and the flower he brings tilt towards the unconscious girl. Barry stops by occasionally and jolts every so often as if he's been prodded at.

All who see her agree that witnessing Allison Gray in such a state is a tragedy in itself.

Purple casts cover her left leg and right arm and under her hospital gown her midriff is wrapped tightly.

A question raises in the very back crevice of Alex's mind but she never admits to its existence consciously.

She remains in the bleach room and hospital, never venturing further than a hallway away from Allison Gray.

III

"Come to dinner, Aldridge," Bruce invites on the fifteenth night. "Come get a good rest, take a shower, and eat a home cooked meal."

"I won't leave her. She wouldn't want to be alone here," Alex responds.

"She is fast asleep and she would want you to take care of yourself," Bruce retorts.

"What if she wakes up and panics because she's alone?"

"The nurses will call if anything changes-"

"I can't risk it."

"Then you leave me no choice, I have to bring in the big gun," Bruce decides and waves in someone who was waiting outside. Alfred walks in and Alex has the decency to look afraid.

"What, with all due respect Ms. Aldridge; the absolute fuck are you doing?"

"What?" Alex splutters in shock and the older butler crosses his arms.

"I am quite cross with you. Look at yourself, you're wasting away in this hospital. Come home and replenish so that when you return you'll be in tip top shape for Ms. Gray."

"Okay," Alex agrees with wide fearful eyes. She's never seen the man so angry before. "But only because I want to," she adds quickly to preserve her stone facade in front of Bruce.

III

Fifteen days after the fall of Metropolis at the strike of midnight Allison Gray snaps open her eyes and sits straight up. For a second she feels no pain only the anomalous sensation of phantom limbs sprouting from her spine and hanging around her. The only sound is her gasping breaths as she is overwhelmed with questions and then stabbing pain radiating through her body.

"AGH!" she yelps out and sags over the railing on the side of her bed. Still panting Allie grips the rail with one hand and with her other reaches around to her back. Her hands bumps into something solid and then upon inching up hits something else and then again further up. Allison squeaks and jolts in shock and slight fear. She shoves down the rail and throws herself from the bed but stumbles and hits the wall when something tugs back at her. Blindly she gripes at her attachments and shakes them off. She braces herself when a lightning rod of agony shoots up her leg and throughout her chest. One of her arms gives out and she nearly screeches at the torture of it all. When the pain subsides Allie takes notice to a hollow feeling and a tingling in her back.

Allison hisses and bites her lip, shrinking at the awful aches but not returning to bed. She blinks and allows her eyes to adjust to the light before observing her surroundings. Her right arm and left leg are in casts while her right ankle is in some sort of boot. She can feel wrappings around her middle as well as various gauzes over sutures.

The room has more space than most hospital rooms and an extra armchair set up like a workspace. Allie breathes through grit teeth and lays her eyes on her bed.

A body lays there, her body lays there.

"Oh that's fake," Allie gasps and rubs her eyes but the body doesn't disappear. Panic sets in as the only logical conclusion to her drugged mind materializes. "I'm dead!" Allie jumps out of her skin, slipping and landing flat on her back with a squeak and groan. "Not dead, too much pain." She rolls into her stomach and tries to push herself up with one arm but continuously fails. She needs another arm to help her. A foreign limb, rooted to her back, moves and settles on her other side, helping her push up. Another eases her into a sitting position on the floor while she smiles, pleasantly surprised. "Thank you," she says to the invisible forces and pats them.

Allison Gray tilts her head and looks up at her copy in her bed and decides it's not that big of a deal and neither are the extra arms in her back. She sits silently for a moment, recollecting her fragmented memories.

"Bruce," she mumbles as she remembers his call before the fall. "I was talking to Bruce, I gotta find Bruce." Now seems like a perfect time to hunt the older man down and demand to know his feelings for her. The phantom limbs lift her from the ground and set her on her foot, supporting the broken one like a brace, the boot is easy enough to amble in. "Cool," she giggles and wobbles towards the closet hoping to find clothes there. The door is pulled open for her and she smiles. Having two extra arms is going to be very useful. Allie barely balances herself before grabbing at the first thing she finds attractive, a fluffy robe. She tries to pull it on but loses her footing; before she can hit the ground again she grabs the bar her clothes are hanging from.

This time Allison Gray has her eyes wide open and watches as her body separates. She slips back but as she falls a copy of herself remains melting away from her. Allie is on the ground again but she is also standing at the closet.

In that second she wants nothing more than to scream and cry and panic but all those deeper intense emotions are dampened with drugs and her undazzled focus to finish the task at hand: finding Bruce Wayne. Allie gets to her feet, fixes the robe around herself, and blindly shoves the double into the closet.

"Won't hurt me to spend more time in there," Allie mutters and straightens. It's a bad joke but in her defense she's been heavily drugged. She turns her attention to the body in her bed and decides to use it as her stand in-so no one will find an empty bed. With the help of her extra hands she hooks up all the machines that were attached to her, to the body in her bed.

Upon finishing the scene she heads for the window, her extra arms acting as crutches, and opens it quietly.

"Soft bushes, nice bushes, pretty balls of green," she singsongs as she wiggles out the window and plops onto the bushes below.

Allison Gray sets out into the night leaving behind two brain dead copies of herself.

III

Soon after roaming away from the vicinity of the hospital Allison Gray soon realizes she has no idea how to get to Bruce's manor.

"No mental map, no driver," she whines but doesn't cease her movement. Allie decides to push on, relying on some latent memory or otherworldly connection to kick in and show her way.

III

After placating Alfred by eating his home cooked, truly from scratch, pasta and meatballs Alex cleans up in Wayne's fancy waterfall shower and crashes in his guest room. She situates herself with her phone turned up and in her hand when she drifts off.

III

At one in the morning her phone blares off and she springs awake. Alex sits up immediately and picks up without glancing at the caller ID. She knows it is the hospital, she just knows.

"Hello?" Her heart is in her throat and she impatiently waits for some verdict on Allie's health. "What's wrong?"

"Ms. Aldridge, are you sitting? Are you with someone right now?"

"I'm in bed alone but that doesn't matter. Is something wrong with my Allie?" Alex barks.

"You have to tell me."

"Her brain scanner flatlined, there is no sign of brain activity. Ms. Gray is-she's brain dead."

Alex's heart drops and all the air in her lungs escapes her in the moment. She says nothing but swallows hard.

"Alright, I'm on my way." Alex hangs up and stands, her mind numb from shock.

Alexandra Aldridge doesn't stop to change or brush her hair or grab anything as she exits the room.

Bruce Wayne is awake and drinking in the living room when Alex finds him.

"Why are you awake?" he asks in a sullen tone.

"Why are you drinking?" she questions at the same time. He shrugs and returns to nursing his whiskey.

"Unhealthy coping mechanisms," Bruce deadpans. "You should be resting."

"Hospital called," Alex states and he straightens, worry in his eyes.

"Is she awake?"

"No, Bruce we have to go. It's-it's bad," Alex croaks and he hops up, swaying slightly on his feet.

Together they head for the door and get into Bruce's regular vehicle in favor of the sports car. They aren't in a rush, aren't eager to see a brain dead Allison Gray.

III

The drive is silent for the first half, even Alex contain sher usual snappy commentary at other driver's poor driving.

"I shouldn't have sent her to Metropolis," Alex murmurs, breaking the wordless air. "We do everything together; ever meeting, conference call, trip, everything. Why did I have to send her alone?"

"Why did you?" he queries softly and Alex huffs out a sardonic laugh.

"Allie has feelings for you and I wanted to give her the chance to see you without me," Alex admits and the mood sombers even more so.

"I was supposed to be there," Bruce mutters. "I was running late on purpose as some tactic for her affection. I should have been there."

"What am I going to do?" Alex chokes out and clenches her hand her hands down on the steering wheel. "I have to make a decision, I'm named in her will. What am I going to do?"

The question hangs in the air like the axe of an executioner, neither of them having any semblance of an answer.

"We just need to get there and see," Bruce finally says.

"Assess the damage before making a plan? She isn't a battle strategy or run of the mill crisis, Bruce," Alex snaps.

"I know, she's far more important."

"Yes." Alex neglects to admit that he is right about waiting to decide until they see her.

They both fall mute and remain that way until reaching the hospital.


	4. Chapter 4 Hands

Dr. Shaw meets them at the door, a stoic expression embraced on her features but grief twinkling in her eyes.

"Ms. Aldridge, Mr. Wayne, thank you for coming so soon." Dr. Shaw motions for them to follow and then leads them in the familiar path to Allie's hospital room.

The door to the room is shut and the blinds pulled over the window like a blanket pulled over the face of a corpse. Alex despises the sight of it, denying Allie's death. Dr. Shaw pauses and turns to them.

"A little after midnight Allison's brain scanner started going off and when nurses came in to check on her they found her pupils unresponsive. I was called in and we performed an examination and found no conscious brain activity. We placed her on life support but see no recovery in the foreseeable future."

"No chance at all?" Alex presses.

"A scan showed significant deterioration to her reticular formation so there is no chance of her waking up," Dr. Shaw reports and Alex chokes up. She can remember Allie chattering about brain sections and their functions after her AP Psych class in high school. The reticular formation once damaged means you can't wake up.

"What happened? She was on track to wake up hours ago!" Alex hisses, anger surmounting over the grief.

"We suspect it was brain damage not caught earlier that has progressively been worsening but in all honesty we do not know yet."

The lack of a real cause is infuriating and lands guilt on Alex and Bruce. Alex feels she should never have left and Bruce feels he should never have taken Alex from Allie's bedside.

"Can I have a moment?" Alex requests in a small but steady voice. "I just, I need a moment alone with her."

"Of course," Dr. Shaw allows and Bruce nods.

Alexandra Aldridge settles her hand on the doorknob but just as she prepares herself to twist it cement churns in her bones. Closing her eyes she tries to tamp down all the emotions warring in her mind and compose herself. She's always been strong for Allie, she needs to be strong for Allie.

Neither Dr. Shaw nor Bruce comment on her stalking and finally after a minute Alex opens the door and steps inside. She shuts the door behind her and rests her head against the wood, not yet facing Allie.

With tension winding itself like a sick rubber band in her chest Alex slowly turns and sets her gaze upon Allison Gray. Alex's breath hitches at the sight of her oldest and closest friend in the white bed with even more machines than before hooked up to her.

Allison Gray is pale and unmoving not even her usual shivering is occurring. A tube is shoved down her throat but her face is utterly blank. There is no life in her frame, absolutely nothing.

In that second everything Alexandra Aldridge was locking up comes busting out like a tragic tsunami. She goes rigid and tears begin cascading down her cheeks. Alex makes no audible sound as she cries, suffering in silence at the sight of Allie.

The corpse before her cannot be Allie, it just can't. It's too lifeless, too still. She doesn't recognize Allison, she only sees a body and she is unable to comprehend why Allie cannot simply return to her body.

Alex understands the concept of death but Allison Gray isn't dead, she has a heartbeat, she's just gone and that's the worst part.

"How could you do this Allison Gray? I was going to be the first hero in existence who is happy and I cannot without you. You my moon and when you're gone what will be left? If I bury you I will be burying all things shining and joyful with you."

The words are spoken to empty air and given no response from the body before her. Alex approaches the bed and touches the blemished skin of Allison Gray. She can hear her heartbeat from the monitor but it's an empty gesture.

"What do I do Allie? Do I pull the plug and let you suffocate to death? Do I keep you on life support? Allie, I have no idea what to do," Alex whimpers. This situation is so wildly foreign to her even her own past cannot apply. "What do you want?"

A knock comes at the door and then Bruce Wayne is peering in.

"Can I?" He doesn't finish the question but Alex waves him in anyway. He approaches the bed and stands aside Alex, staring down at Allie.

"It's real," he breathes out and then lets out a choked gasp. "Oh God, it's real."

"Here's the damage, so now what do I do?" Alex asks blankly but tears are still falling from her eyes.

"I-I-I have no idea." Bruce fails to think of any plan and he's left defenseless to the assault of desolation.

"I'm not ready to live without her."

"Would you ever be?" Bruce counters and Alex shakes her head.

"No, and it would be selfish of me to keep her here just because I couldn't handle her being gone. She is never going to wake up, she's already gone."

"So you've decided," Bruce concludes.

"I won't condemn her to a lifetime of this," Alex decides. "Get Dr. Shaw please." Bruce reluctantly steps away from Allison and retrieves the doctor.

"No chance of revival?"

"None," Dr. Shaw confirms.

"She's already dead then." Alex hardens her agonized expression and wipes her eyes. "No point in dragging this out."

Dr. Shaw walks around to the other side of the bed and closes her hand around the breathing tube.

"Once I do this, it cannot be undone." Bruce is stiff next to Alex, quietly expressing his own grief and regrets and guilt.

"Just do it, Allie wouldn't want to continue on like this," Alex insists but it shatters her heart to do so. Dr. Shaw inhales and gingerly disconnects the tube.

Nothing happens, there is no sudden beeping or movement or anything. Alexandra Aldridge and Bruce Wayne wait with bated breath and dashed hopes.

Minutes pass and Allison Gray's chest is still rising and falling on its own accord. She is still breathing and her heart still beating.

"What's happening? Why is she still alive?" Alex questions desperately.

"I'm not sure, she should be suffocating, albeit peacefully," Dr. Shaw responds and furrows her eyebrows in confusion. "Please wait here a moment, I am going to call some of my colleagues." Dr. Shaw leaves in a rush, abandoning Alex and Bruce to confused sorrow.

"Fuck," Alex and Bruce swear. He reaches out and takes the hand of Allison Gray.

"She feels different, her hands are always cold like this but it's different." Bruce flips her hand over and runs his fingers along her palm, a few stray tears escape his lashes and fall onto her skin. Alex stares at the scene, transfixed by it, and takes notice to the appearance of Allie's palm.

Her palm looks wrong, her deeply ingrained multitude of palm lines are gone; her palm is just as smooth as Alex and Bruce's.

"Do palm lines smooth out in death?" Alex queries and Bruce huffs.

"What? No, why?"

"Hold up her other hand." Bruce obeys the order and reveals Allie's other hand in the same state. Now having a suspicious lens Alex reexamines the scene.

"Those aren't Allie's hands," Alex declares and begins raking her gaze over the room, looking for inconsistencies.

"Alex you are only going to hurt yourself with th-"

"No, Bruce! Those are not Allie's hands!" Alex snaps coldly and her attention falls on the open window. "And that window shouldn't be open." She begins rushing around the room and looking over every square inch. Alex throws open the closet and lets out a shriek of shock when a body falls out and into her arms. "FUCK!"

Bruce jumps to her side and relieves her the weight of the body allowing them to both view the thing as Allison Gray.

"It's Allie," Bruce says.

"Hands!" Alex exclaims and grapples at the copies arms. "The hand's aren't Allie's either!"

"These are duplicates of her, brain dead replications of Allie," Bruce remarks and carefully cradles the second body.

"Then where is the real Allison Gray?"

Alexandra Aldridge and Bruce Wayne make solid eye contact and then in unison turn to the open window.

"Out there."


	5. Chapter 5 John Mulaney

Allie eventually finds herself on the vaguely busy and utterly eery streets of Gotham. She's been following impulses for directions, having no solid knowledge of the city's layout. Allie knows one route and that is from the Sentinel to the nearby candy store.

It is dark and foggy as always and the flickering streetlights set that famous creepy Gotham ambiance. The drugged girl limping down the sidewalk with an invisible force acting as a crutch, clad in only a hospital gown and robe only adds to the scene.

Even drugged Allie has a fragment of a sense of self-preservation so everything so everytime a car passes she ducks into an alley or hides somehow.

"Gotta find Brucie Wayne," she repeats manically to herself, among other nonsensical chatter.

If any nefarious types come across her they either decide she isn't worth it or she is a new deranged serial killer.

III

"Let me get this straight-"

"Only thing you'll ever get straight," Alex huffs and Bruce frowns slightly at her.

"Is now the time?"

"It's always the time for gay jokes, but continue."

"You think the real Allie escaped her hospital room out a window while heavily drugged and somehow left two brain dead copies of herself behind? Oh and not to mention her leg and ankle are still broken," Bruce recounts apprehensively and Alex nods. "How?"

"I don't know," Alex replies and shrugs. "Does it matter?"

"She must be metahuman and the fall must have triggered her abilities," Bruce concludes and Alex snaps into a flare of desperate rage.

"No! No, she isn't metahuman. I want to keep her out of this life," she hisses but falters as a hesitant frown crosses her face. "This is just some freak medical thing." Bruce, deciding the fight isn't worth it, only nods.

"A freak medical thing we have to hide."

"Okay, you're right. How about this, throw that one out the window into the bushes and I'll tamper with the heart monitor to make this one look like she's dead," Alex suggests and Bruce's face twists. He's cradling the second body like a baby and doesn't want to let go.

"I'm not throwing her out the window."

"Then shove her in the closet."

"Allie has spent enough of her life in the closet," he denies and Alex sighs in exasperation.

"Bruce we do not have time for your fucking emotions right now. Just get rid of the body," Alex barks. Reluctantly Bruce settles the second double in the bottom of the closet and tucks his jacket over her. Alex raises an eyebrow and crosses her arms.

"What? She gets cold."

"Fucking sap," Alex grumbles, though secretly pleased at his show of affection for her dear friend, and turns her attention to the beeping machine. Any tampering would cause it to go off wildly but wouldn't show a flatline.

"Do you know how to hack medical equipment?"

"I can get into supercomputers and top notch security systems but I've never had to sabotage a heart monitor."

"The old-fashioned way then," Alex mutters and pulls the four sensors off her skin. Frantic beeping starts and Alex points to the mini desk she set up. "Pass me the tape there." Bruce complies and she triple tapes over the underside of each sensor before taping them back on Allie One's skin.

Once the sensors are fixed back in Allie One, Alex adjusts the top of her hospital gown and tucks in her sheets. The heart monitor produces a flatline at the lack of feeling presence of a heartbeat.

"Now start calling for Dr. Shaw and be sad," Alex instructs.

"Dr. Shaw! Dr. Shaw!" he shouts and runs to the door, yanking it open. Alex falls over the copies body in faux grief to sweeten the act and pretends to sob.

"What is it?" Shaw exclaims and sprints in. Dr. Shaw slams to a stop when she sees and hears the flatline. "She passed."

"Yes," Bruce responds coldly. "Rather suddenly." The doctor huffs a sardonic laugh and shakes her head.

"A foolish part of me hoped she would defy medical science and come back."

"We all hoped," Alex concurs and wipes tears from her eyes. "What comes next?"

"Her body will be transported to the morgue, a death certificate issued, and other arrangements will be presumably made by you," Dr. Shaw explains mechanically.

"Yes, I'll have to call her family," Alex murmurs and lifts off Allie's body.

"I have to call the time of death," Shaw says and walks to the monitor. In the corner of the screen, there's a stopped clock flashing at the time 1:15 AM,. "1:15 AM, March 17th, 2016," Shaw states.

The time and date may not mark the end of Allison Gray's life but they do mark the birth of the decision to kill Superman.

III

Allie finds herself in a park feeding pigeons and crows and squirrels with an existential young man and a blunt old woman.

"I'm not even sure what I'm doing here, in Gotham Central Park, feeding wildlife with an old lady and a crazy escaped mental patient," the man laments. "I should be with my wife."

"Why aren't you?" the old lady asks.

"Well my flight was delayed nine hours and when I went to the help desk and said 'can I please go home?' they said 'No! In fact we're sending you to Gotham because we hate you!' and I said 'okaay, but why are you doing this to me?' and they said 'Because we're Delta Airlines and life is a fucking nightmare!'," he explains and Allie cackles along.

"You think that's rough? There was a horse loose in my hospital! It was using the elevators so I had to jump out the window," Allie replies listlessly. "And now I can't find my soon-to-be boyfriend, Bruce Wayne's house." The man nods sympathetically and the old woman shakes her head.

"You're both insane and that's coming from me, someone who talks to pigeons," the old lady scoffs.

"And you're out here at like two in the morning," Allie adds.

"You could serial murdered," the boy-man chimes in. "We all could, this is fucking Gotham." Allie makes an 'o' with her mouth and tilts her head in agreement.

"How do you know I'm not a serial killer?" Allie shares a frightened look with the man-child and hobbles to her feet.

"Fucking scatter! To your wife fancily dressed man-baby," Allie squeals and scrambles away as best she can. The old woman laughs and waves to her as she flees. The tall boy gets up and gives a flourishing bow before leaving in the opposite direction.


	6. Chapter 6 Hot Pursuit

Dr. Shaw exits to fetch two morgue attendants and Alex to a dooming realization.

"Holy shit Bruce! We can't have Allie declared dead! FUCK!" Bruce's eyes widen and he smacks a hand over his mouth before rubbing his temples in frustration.

"Dammit! You're right. Oh, we broke the first rule of vigilantism, don't make permanent decisions on temporary emotions," Bruce groans and continues rubbing his temples.

'Fuck, fuck, fuck! Okay we make the "dead" one go away too," Alex suggests, putting finger quotes around the word 'dead.' "Remove the evidence of our tampering and claim she disappeared while we were on our way to the morgue."

"Aldridge I think we have to get the doctor in on this," Bruce utters tersely.

"In on what?"

"Fuck," Alex swears and turns to grin at Dr. Shaw innocently. "Oh the funeral," Alex lies and Shaw crosses her arms.

"Bullshit." Bruce and Alex's eyes widen at the sudden aggressiveness and Alex splutters.

"Oh wow." In all her time knowing the woman she's never seen her swear or look the slightest bit angry.

"I've been Allison's doctor for fifteen years if anyone can be trusted with whatever you're hiding, it's me."

"Fair enough," Alex agrees. "But I think showing you would be easier."

The trio head back into Allie's room and while Bruce goes to the closet Alex goes for the bed. Bruce gingerly lifts the second double from the closet and Dr. Jesikah Shaw gasps.

"Allie isn't dead she escaped out the window and abandoned two brain dead copies here," Alex deadpans.

"The metahuman theory," Shaw breathes out, concluding what Alex does not want to admit.

"We panicked and faked her death but she's alive and out there," Bruce remarks and gestures to the window, refocusing both Alexandra Aldridge and Jesikah Shaw.

"I was thinking we hide the bodies and say she disappeared," Alex pitches and Shaw guffaws.

"Or we could say the assistant of the famous Alexandra Aldridge, Allison Gray's hospital monitors were hacked, which is so very easy these days, and she was wrongfully declared dead.

"That sounds good," Bruce and Alex concede.

"Could be an act of business espionage," Shaw adds.

"Better," Alex accepts shakily. "Dr. Shaw you're good."

"I better be. I've been a doctor for one of the most accident-prone and genetically unlucky girl in the world," she reasons and smirks. "Now, you two should start the search and take the second copy while I straighten out the mess you made."

"Yes, ma'am." Bruce and Alex hesitate, the issue of sneaking the second body out still standing. Shaw stares expectantly and Bruce heaves a sigh.

"I'll dump her out the window and we can sneak around and get her out of sight of the cameras," he relents.

"Fucking finally."

III

They end up shoving Allie 3.0 in the back of Bruce's car with his jacket thrown over her. In the front, they pour over a map of Gotham and try not to be creeped out by the body in the back.

"We break it up into gridded sectors and scour each one. We have to keep this quiet and find her before someone notices Allison Gray limping through the streets."

"We can't be Batman and Gypsy Sentinel for this can we?"

"Right you are B, if another photo of the Gotham heroes singling out Allison Gray goes on the internet it won't be considered coincidence."

"Okay, let's get this done."

"That's the spirit!"

III

Bruce Wayne and Alexandra Aldridge search Gotham for hours until deciding to resort to Batman and Gypsy Sentinel's more militant style of pursuit. Even still their search only leads to minuscule traces of Allison Gray.

Finally, a familiar pink bunny slipper turns up in Gotham Central Park on a bench beside an old woman.

III

"Ma'am, have you seen the owner of this slipper?" Gypsy Sentinel inquires and points to the plush shoe next to her.

"Well this is officially the weirdest night I've had in this damn city and mind you, vigilantes, I once saw Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy on a date in this park," she laughs and hands the slipper over to Sentinel. "The little blonde girl who abandoned this bunny rambunctiously headed off towards the south end of the park."

"Could you describe her?" Batman questions gruffly.

"Wearing a hospital gown, a red robe, curly but disastrous blonde hair, in a leg cast and an ankle boot, and when she scrambled away shouting 'fucking scatter' she appeared to be floating on air," the woman describes and the heroes share a glance. That sounds exactly like Allie.

"Thank you!" Batman and Gyspy Sentinel kick into gear, heading towards the Batmobile. The hummer was left on the island for repairs afters it's bumpy Metropolis adventure.

"Oh wait!" They stop and reluctantly turn around to be addressed by the old woman.

"Why are Batman and Gypsy Sentinel hunting an escaped mental patient?"

"When are Batman and Gypsy Sentinel not hunting escaped mental patients?" Alex retorts and the lady laughs.

"Got me there, good luck to you both!"

III

Somehow a drugged and hobbling girl is evading two professional vigilante detectives. Leave it to Allison Gray to do such a thing.

III

"I just don't get it, we've examined all of Gotham," Alex groans. "All we found was what could be a lock of her hair, what could be her bunny slipper, and what could be the tie to her robe."

"I think we can definitively say the slipper is hers. The old lady in the park accurately described Allie," Bruce concludes.

"Yeah she did say, Allie, called you her soon to be boyfriend and yelled 'fucking scatter' and if that ain't our girl no one is," Alex agrees and Bruce cracks a smile at the prospect of 'our girl' and being Allie's 'soon-to-be-boyfriend.' "Stop grinning she's still missing."

"Right," he grunts and fixes his expression to a frown. "What's the plan if more people see and recognize her?"

"Allison isn't that popular, I hope… And even so we can convince most they didn't see her and the rest will be conspiracy theorists."

Quiet falls over Batman and Gypsy Sentinel as they sit upon a rooftop of a small apartment building.

A phone rings shattering the silence. Bruce mumbles something incoherent before fishing his cell out of his utility belt.

"Who the fuck is calling? And also why do you leave your phone on while in the suit?" Alex questions.

"I have it set so it will only go off if it's Alfred. Do you not do that for Allie?" he responds and holds the phone up to his ear. Alex turns away so he doesn't see an appreciative realization in her eye. That is a good idea so Allie can reach her in case of an emergency. "Alfred, what's the situation?" Bruce furrows his eyebrows in confusion before putting the butler on speaker.

"What?" Alex mouths and Bruce shrugs before mouthing an answer back.

"He asked."

"Master Wayne, Miss Aldridge, can you both hear me?"

"Yeah, Alfred," Alex confirms.

"I appear to have found Miss Gray."


	7. Chapter 7 Found

"What?!"

"Ex-fucking-scuse me?" Alex spits out.

"Yes, I was on my way to the grocery store when I saw a bedraggled woman in an alleyway. I pulled over to see if I could offer assistance and found the lady crying about chocolate pretzels to a stray kitten," Alfred recounts and Alex sighs and smiles in relief.

"Oh god, it's her!"

"When I approached her she yelled 'this is Allie's Alley' and hastily added 'and Pretzel's referring to the brown kitten, I believe. However, when I came closer she saw my face and calmed down but refused to join me in the car until I promised to purchase her chocolate pretzels and allow the kitten to accompany her."

"Is she alright? She's in the car with you right?" Alex fires out quickly.

"Yes she seems to be doing well, all things considered. What shall I do with her?"

"Where should he bring her?" Alex queries to Bruce. "She has a double at the hospital so not there."

"Take her to GrayRidge Estate would you Alfred, and get her some chocolate pretzels on the way," Bruce requests.

"Miss Gray are you ready to go home?" Alfred asks aloud.

"Home? No! I have to talk to Bruce! He promised," Allie suddenly exclaims, loud enough for Alex and Bruce to hear. Alfred heaves an audible sigh and addresses Bruce.

"Master Wayne I'm putting you on speaker, please assure Miss Gray you will be at her home." The phone beeps and Allie's sniffled and the meows of her kitten become clearer and louder.

"Allie can you hear me?"

"Brucie!"

"Hi there, are you doing okay?"

"Yes, yes I will."

"Promise?"

"I promise," he swears. "So will you please go with Alfred?"

"Wait! Alex is gonna be there too right?"

"Yeah, Allie, I'll be there," Alex chimes in.

"Oh goodie! Then I'll go. Here Aldred, your phone." There's a moment of silence and then Alfred speaks again.

"We will arrive promptly no later than 1:30 pm," he states. "And Miss Aldridge it appears you have a cat named Pretzel now."

"We already have a-ugh dammit fine," Alex groans. "Thanks Alfred."

"Thank you Alfred," Bruce echoes.

"Of course." He hangs up and the heroes share a truly relieved look. A weight has been lifted that had been haunting them since the tower collapsed on Allie.

III

Alfred stops at a gas station and buys chocolate pretzels for Allie so she spends the ride quietly munching on them.

When they cross the bridge leading to the GrayRide mansion on a private island in Gotham Bay , Allie sits up and gazes out the window.

"My house is so pretty," she marvels. "It's like a maze in there Alfred. So huge."

"It is," Alfred agrees as he parks the town car in the front circular driveway.

Bruce and Alex are standing on the grand steps waiting for her.

"They are waiting for me! Oh I feel special," Allie gushes and claps her hands. "Like a

red carpet celebrity."

The second the car comes to a full stop the billionaires are scrambling forward to help Allie.

The door flies open and Allie beams at her saviors.

"Hi guys! I have a kitten and chocolate pretzels!" she squeals and holds up both her hands to show them."And the kittens name is Pretzel! Because she's chocolate colored, like a pretzel."

"That's really great Allie, could you hand those to Bruce so I can help you out of the car?" Alex asks gently.

"No need. Guys could you take these?" As she speaks two invisible arms instantly take the kitten and pretzels from Allie, leaving her open to wrap her arms around Alex in a haphazardly embrace.

"Thank everything you're okay, but what the fuck?" Alex breathes out, eyes wide at the seemingly floating objects.

"I have extra invisible limbs! But they're busy so could you lift me up? My body hurts."

"Course." Alex hooks an arm under Allie's knees and gingerly cradles her before lifting.

"You're really strong Alex," Allie whispers into Alex's shirt. The fingers of her left arm are clenched in the fabric while her right arm swings limply.

"For you, yes." Allie's head lolls back revealing a wide smile with squinted eyes.

"Lex, was there a horse in my hospital?" she murmurs drearily and Alex frowns.

"No, Allie there wasn't."

"Oh then I think I might have lied to John Mulaney," Allie utters and Alex shares a befuddled look with Bruce. She is still definitely drugged out of her sanity. "I think I might have met John Mulaney."

"Allie, is that why you escaped? Because you thought there was a horse?"

"No silly! I jumped out the window because when I woke up I was alone. You are my impulse control Alex," Allie answers, as if it is the most obvious thing in the world. A stab of guilt hits both CEO's at Allie's response, they left her alone. "Bruce promised we'd talk after I lived and I did, so I wanted to find him." Allie squirms in Alex's arms and strains to see Bruce behind Alex's shoulders. "Mr. Wayne have you seen Bruce around? If you haven't seen him maybe you've seen," Allie lowers her voice and intensely whispers, "Batman."

Bruce and Alex go pale, Allie isn't supposed to know about their alter egos. Allie giggles and shakes her head.

"I'm kidding! Bruce isn't Batman, Batman is in love with Bruce though," Alle reveals seriously. "It's obvious, Batman always protects Wayne Industries."

"He does," Bruce agrees tentatively. "But Allie, it is me Bruce." The blonde scrutinizes his face and suddenly her eyes light up.

"Brucie! I found you!" Bruce moves closer and reaches out, grazing his fingers on Allie's cheek. Bruce longs to be closer to her but now isn't the time. Allie leans into the touch and closes her eyes while humming appreciatively.

"You did find me. You're an amazing detective," he compliments, a hidden layer beneath the acquiescing statement, and Allie blushes. She reaches up and pets his face with her unbroken arm while scrunching her nose.

"Your face is scruffy."

Alex, quite fed up with the gushing and giggling and being the one holding Allie while all the weird petting was happening, decides to cut in.

"Let's get you inside." Alex starts up the steps with Allie and Bruce follows dutifully. "I think your talk will have to wait until all the drugs are out of your system."

"You're so smart Alex!"

"Thanks babe."

III

Inside the victorian style mansion Alex lays Allie in her four poster bed and the invisible limbs settle the kitten and snack bag in her lap.

On the other side of the mattress sits the third body, sleeping and utterly still.

"Oh my gosh you found her! It's closet me," Allie cheers and Alex and Bruce frown, confused by her recognition.

"Allie if you're up for it, would you answer some quick questions for us?" Alex inquires. "I know you're addled with meds but we have burning questions."

"Don't hurt yourselves," Allie coos. "Whaddya wanna know?"

"First off, how do you know that's the double from the closet?" Bruce asks.

"She's softer," Allie answers simply and shrugs. "Next." Her answer gives nothing to Bruce and Alex but they can tell she won't give any elaboration.

"What was carrying the pretzels and cat and you along?" Alex queries.

"Vectors, invisible arms with direction and magnitude!" As she speaks the 'vectors' poke at Bruce and Alex, jolting them. "It's super weird, I'm like a four-armed beast from Ben 10."

"Hah, yeah kind of, anyway how did the other two copies happen?" Alex continues.

"I fell out of bed, something tugged back and then I fell out of the closet and something else tugged back. They melted out I guess," Allie recounts and yawns. "Didn't hurt or nothin."

"We should let her rest and call Dr. Shaw," Bruce suggests softly and places a hand on Alex's shoulder.

"Good idea Brucie. I'm exhausted and most my bones broken," Allie grumbles and leans back into her pillows.

"Right," Alex huffs. She's zoning out, her mind traveling far away into worst case scenarios.

There is no doubt now.

Allison Gray is a metahuman.

"Do you think I'm a freak?" Allie whispers, fear set in her hazed blue eyes with all the drugged delirium gone.

"Never," Alex promises in a stern and determined tone. "Allie I would never and neither would Bruce."

"You are not a freak, you are a miracle," Bruce sweats and squeezes her good hand before leaning over to kiss her forehead.


	8. Chapter 8 Bruce Is Batman

When Allie finally drifts off, oddly snuggled up to her clone, Bruce pulls Alex from the room to talk in private.

"We have her, she is safe," Alex sighs and then glowers. "But a million fucking questions still stand."

"Do we tell her about our nightly activities," Bruce poses and Alex shrugs.

"I have no idea. If we tell her she might want to join us," Alex replies.

"Would that be a bad thing?"

"If she feels pressured into it because of us? Yes." Bruce nods and his eyes trail back to Allie's sleeping forms. Alex cannot possibly imagine Allie following her lead into this life but Allie has surprised her before.

"For now we should just call the doctor and feed the cover story."

"Everyone get ready for Allison Gray's miraculous recovery," Alex scoffs sarcastically.

"Ir is a miracle," Bruce murmurs with stars in his gaze. Alex rolls her eyes but finds herself grinning too.

Allie may be a metahuman with crucial decisions and obstacles ahead of her, but she is alive and that is what matters most.

III

Allie awakens to Dr. Shaw and Alex talking over her.

"With her broken leg and ankle she'll need to use a wheelchair while the bones heal. The broken ribs will gradually heal on their own but no strenuous activity for awhile. The cast for her arm will come off when her leg cast comes off in two to three months but until then it should stay in a sling. The ankle boot will also be removed then. Her prescription pain medication will need to be taken in the mornings, presuming she still takes her coumadin, fludrocortisone, and lexapro at night."

"She does," Alex confirms.

"Allison can return to work as soon as she feels able but mind her constrained abilities. Allie cannot be your bouncing assistant right now," Dr. Shaw informs in a serious tone. Alex nods and crosses her arms over herself protectively.

"I don't care about that. I want her to get better." Alex looks upon Allie, who is pretending to still be asleep. "And what about the doubles?"

"Gradually building brain activity. I imagine they will awaken soon," Shaw reports.

"We should have the one in the hospital moved then. Who knows what these things will do once they wake up," Alex remarks and Shaw tilts her head in agreement. "If you can discharge her, I can send Bruce to get her."

"Wait till later tonight so it'll be easier to move her with less eyes," Shaw says.

"Gotcha."

"And in the meantime get a snazzy wheelchair for her, one that's automated," Shaw advises and turns to leave.

"I'll show you out," Alex offers and follows her.

"Oh good your home is a maze!"

When Allie can no longer hear clicking heels on the wood flooring she cracks her eyes open. Sitting up and groaning when it stings Allie sets her sights on the computer on her desk. Once again she crawls from her sickbed, this time more gracefully. She uses her extra hands and sits herself at the computer. Curiosity about the attack and her iminent rescue is burning at the forefront of her thoughts.

The second her browser open the google alerts on her name and her email slams with notifications.

"What the fuck?" she grumbles and opens her email first. All the unread messages are labeled urgent and titled with rushed key smashing subject titles, Allie opens the first one from Natalie and reads it over.

" _Gotham Daily already has the story and contacted me for an interview when you're alright enough to do so_."

"Vague," Allie comments. Reading from the top isn't helpful so she scrolls down and begins working her way up.

At the start it's boring emails concerning work but then a few pop up with messages about the attack and her welfare, if she was affected. After those, one from Natalie shows up with the subject 'Batman and Gyspy Sentinel Saved You!' and a photo attachment. Allie opens the file and gapes at the sight of Gotham's vigilantes lifting her mangled body from the wreckage. More photos follow in the other emails of the heroes carefully moving her through the debris and loading her into Gypsy Sentinel's hummer.

"Why would they waste their time on me? Why would they only save me?" Allie utters, trying to hurry alone the pieces connecting in her mind. Something sparks and she goes into her story drafts, pulling up one from months ago title ' _Vigilante Veneration: The Love Story of Bruce Wayne and The Gotham Bat_.' In the story she poked fun at the citizens theorizing a connection between Bruce and Batman but now, now she can see it. Batman does often find himself protecting the interests of Wayne Industries, the striking similarities of Wayne Tech to the tech on the Bat suit, and the one foundation event where Bruce disappeared at the first sight of trouble and Batman appeared to save the guests from an armed gang of robbers. Of course there are the acrobatic abilities of Robin and Bruce's adopted carnival child Dick Grayson; including the appearance of Robin closely following the adoption of Dick Grayson. Allie dismissed the instances as illusory correlation but now she isn't so sure. On the other hand there's Alex and her frequent flighty behavior. Allie has long suspected Bruce and Alex had some secret thing going on, with the mysterious injuries, the hushed conversations, the secret smirks when they'd see news about criminals showing up on the footsteps of Gotham PD tied up with ribbon and bows on their heads, and of course their paranoid protectiveness of her, but she never would have guessed this.

Footsteps come tapping down the hall and Allie quickly closes her computer tabs and attempts to not appear guilty. Alex strides to the doorway and crosses her arms at the sight of Allie out of her bed.

"You shouldn't be out of bed."

"You shouldn't be wandering the streets at night beating up evil men," Allie retorts without a thought.

"Excuse me?" Alex coughs, her face twitching.

"Alexandra Aldridge, are you Gypsy Sentinel?"

"That's disgusting. And wrong. I don't even get– why would– I've never beaten up anyone, anywhere. It's none of your- you have- the nerve, the audacity, Gordon is the commissioner of police, technically. And he is amazing, crime-wise. And how- how- do I know, frankly, that you're not beating up evil men at night? Maybe you are. Maybe you're trying to throw me off? Hmm check and mate," Alex stammers out and flustered puts her hands on her waist and then shakily leans on the doorway. Allie gives a deadpan expression and narrows her eyes.

"Alex, I'm not stupid," she says, stony-faced. " I know you and Bruce have been up to some secretive shit you won't tell me, to protect me or whatever, but now you have to answer me."

Alex sighs and allows her arms to drop to her sides in a display of defeat.

"So we need to talk."

"Uhm yeah," Allie huffs.

"Bruce is Batman!" Alex blurts out in panic.

"What?!"

"Stay here!" Alex then runs from the room leaving Allie floored in her wake.

"Alex what the fuck!?"


	9. Chapter 9 She Knows

"She knows."

"Who knows? And knows what? Aldridge you can't just start a call with 'she knows' and no context."

"Wayne! Seriously what could I possibly mean? Take a second and think real hard about who 'she' might be and what 'she' might 'know'," Alex chides in a leading tone. There is a break and then an exasperated groan.

"She knows we're Batman and Gypsy Sentinel."

"Well she knows you're Batman. I panicked and told her," Alex confesses.

"You told her about me and not you? Aldridge what the hell?"

"Moving on, I need you here tonight and on your way I need you to grab the second clone from the hospital. Note she has the automated wheelchair and the real Allie needs it so be careful."

"We are going to revisit you willingness to give up my identity later but for right now I'll set that aside and head over now," he decides.

"Whatever, just don't let anyone notice you're removing a comatose replica of Allison Gray from the hospital. You should also plan what you're going to say to her." Bruce doesn't respond making Alex nearly bang her head against the wall. "You have no idea what you're gonna say do you?"

"I wasn't the one who panicked and blurted out my partner's secret identity!" Bruce fires back.

"You're deflecting! You don't even have a clue what you're gonna say. Bruce do you even know what you want from her? Because buddy if you break her heart because you can't figure out what you want then I'll kill you."

"I'd kill me too," he agrees.

"Then it's decided, you'll marry her."

"Wait what?!"

"Oh I'm excited we're going to be sibling-in-laws!" Alex squeals, entirely joking, but hangs up before he can say anything more. She cackles pleased with herself and then returns to Allie's room, hoping the smaller blonde is asleep.

Allison Gray is still awake and sitting up with her arms crossed in her bed.

"Why are you glowering at the wall?" Alex inquires listlessy.

"My body hurts and you abandoned me here after telling me Bruce is frigging Batman!"

"The soreness will happen when a building collapses on you and surprise confessions will happen when I panic." Alex sits on the edge of Allie's bed and pats the girls hand.

"I know Alex, but that wasn't the confession I asked for."

"How about this. I get Bruce here and we all talk and share about our fucking feelings but until then you rest," Alex offers and Allie pauses, considering.

"Fine deal."

"Perfect Bruce is already on his way with your second clone and an automated wheelchair," Alex informs and Allie pouts.

"I can push myself with the vectors." To prove her point Allie lifts the third body with her invisible helpers and sits it up in the armchair across the room.

"Not in public," Alex denies and Allie pauses.

"Fair enough, you got me there."

"I did. Now, do you want anything while we wait?"

"Dr. Pepper," Allie requests instantaneously and Alex huffs a smile.

"Of course, how could I not have guessed?" Alex shakes her head and walks off to get the bespoken item, leaving Allie and her clone be.

"Wanna watch Star Trek?" Allie asks the silent form. There is no answer and Allie laughs out loud. "What am I saying? Of course you do!"

Allie leans over and grabs the remote off her desk and uses it to lower her flatscreen from the ceiling above her bed.

"God I love modern technology," she mutters to herself as she calls up Star Trek Beyond. "I've seen this a million times so we're gonna skip to my favorite part where Spock and Bones first set out together."

The film picks up after the start of the Enterprise's destruction where Spock and Bones begin fighting back against Krall and his gang.

"Go! Get em' Bones! Get em' Spock!" Allie cheers and pumps her good arm like a punch. The clone beside her jerks and it's arm jets out, mirroring her motions. Allie turns and stares in shock. "Whoa."

III

Bruce Wayne, donned in an almost halfway decent disguise, strides into the hospital with confidence and purpose enough that no one dare question him. He finds Dr. Shaw in the hall outside Allie's room filing paperwork and prescriptions.

"Dr. Shaw," he greets stoically.

"Mr. Wayne, are you here for Allison?" she returns without looking up.

"Yes, the timetable moved up," he replies.

"Not what I planned but that's alright, I can be flexible. I already filed her discharge papers and the wheelchair Ms. Aldridge ordered arrived ten minutes ago so everything should be in order."

"Thank you for everything Dr. Shaw," Bruce murmurs sincerely.

"It's my job," is Shaw's clipped response. "Though I will admit it was a bit of a thrill for me so in the future if you need any medical intervention on the down low, you know where to find me." She gives a wink that has Bruce wondering if she somehow knows the whole truth. "Now get her out of here and put some sunglasses on her face to hide the shut eyes." With that Dr. Shaw turns on her heel and saunters away. Bruce watches after her for a moment, dumbfounded, before shaking his head and letting himself into Allie's room.

Allie Two is in the bed, on her back and laying like the dead. The wheelchair is by the door, waiting, and taunting Bruce. He should have been there, she shouldn't be suffering like this. The humbled billionaire approaches her bedside and pulls back the sheets so he can lift her ever so carefully. Bruce cradles her for a second, praying it isn't his last chance to be so close, and settles her into the chair, buckling her in. To make her more comfortable he tucks a blanket over her legs and maneuvers his jacket onto her. The final touch is a pair of his sunglasses over her eyes making her appear as a celebrity trying to go incognito.

Bruce pushes her out the door and down the hall without incident. He keeps his head down and eyes every person passing in his periphery. Alex would be upset if anyone got any photos and Allie would feel embarrassed.

The front lobby is so close, he is almost off scot-free, when Allie Two shifts in her seat. He freezes and peers down at her, trying to gauge whether the chair bumped and shifted her or if she is waking up. The double makes a gurgling noise and her right arm bats to the side lamely. Her fingers are clenched in a fist and a lopsided smile is on her face as she bats her arm. Bruce sidesteps around the chair and kneels down in front to watch her.

"Allie?" he asks in a low voice. There is no conscious response to him so Bruce grabs her hand and holds it in his. Allie Two calms and makes a humming noise as if he had relaxed her. Relief comes momentarily but is immediately disrupted by her hand slamming forward and her knuckles connecting with his face. Bruce falls back on his ass and groans, holding his cheek and watching Allie Three. He hadn't expected a punch much less a strong one like that. In the corner of his eyes, he sees whispering patrons and concerned employees looking over. Bruce stands and more hastily begins pushing the chair, worrying the clone could cause an even worse upset if they stay any longer.

A polite man grabs the door for them as they approach and Bruce nods his thanks, praying he doesn't the usual playboy socialite. Halfway out the door Allie Two jerks her hand away and punches at the air, nearly clocking the polite man.

"Lord!" the man gasps and ducks out of the way.

"I'm so sorry! Muscle spasms," Bruce excuses and grips at Allie Two's flailing arm.

Still holding her with one hand and the chair in the other he bursts away and towards the parking lot as fast as he can.

Once in the lot he takes a breath, no one is around.

"Oh what's happening Allie?" he grumbles.

"Go! Yes!" the clone cries as she jerks and Bruce jolts away in shock. Those were actual words, said by an actual human voice.

"Intriguing," he remarks, utterly floored.

"What a team!" is the clones nonsensical response.

"I have to get you home," Bruce mutters and shakes himself off, refocusing on the goal at hand. He grapples at the jerking clone and manages to shove the wheelchair the extra yards to his car. Once there he scoops her up, barely missing a punch to the eye, and tries getting her in the backseat. The second he releases his grip around her she begins to sob and flops back across the seats.

"Oh no! Don't cry!" Bruce exclaims and leans forward to lift her back into a seated position and attempt at comforting her with pets to her hair. "Don't cry, it's okay. Everything is fine," he says, trying to utilize a soothing tone. Allie Two doesn't hear him and begins pathetically crying into his shoulder. "Oh-okay. There, there, we're fine. This is fine."

"Stupid bees," she spits out.

"What?!" Bruce utters to himself as he holds her.

His phone abruptly rings and drowns out Allie Two's cries with the banging lyrics of 'Bitch Better Have My Money.' The girl in his arms is surprisingly unaffected by the shrill noise but Bruce still cannot shift to get at his mobile device.

"Oh there, there," he shushes and strains to grab the phone from his back pocket. Finally, he manages to pick up.

Hopefully, Alex knows what's going on.

"Aldridge the hell is happening here?"


	10. Chapter 10 Stupid Bees

"Sorry, it took so long Allie your cat was-oh shit…" Alex trails off when her eyes land on Allie and Allie Three.

"The Enterprise!" Allie cries and clings to her clone. "Stupid bees!"

"Stupid bees!" the double echoes seconds later.

Alexandra Aldridge halts in the doorway, mouth agape and eyes blown wide. The copy is awake, talking, and moving almost in time with Allie. Alex glances to the tv; the weepy blondes are crying over the scene in Star Trek Beyond where Krall and his bee-like swarm and ships to destroy the Enterprise. Slowly, without alerting the girls, Alex backs away and pulls out her phone to dial Bruce while holding her focus on them.

It rings and rings and rings so much so Alex fears he won't pick up ut just before the last word of 'Bitch Better Have My Money' it clicks and he answers. Before Alex gets a greeting from him she hears whimpers sounding familiar to the cries of Allie.

"Aldridge the hell is happening here?" Bruce grunts.

"They're alive!" Alex hisses.

"I know! This one gave me a black eye and is now sobbing in my lap," he deadpans. Instead of sympathizing, Alex begins chuckling and bites her lip to muffle the sound.

"Oh, that's rich."

"Alex what is happening on your end," Bruce questions, ignoring her amusement at his pain.

"Bruce, they are mirroring her actions almost instantaneously after she does them. She's watching Star Trek Beyond right now so she's fired up and depressed," Alex explains. "I'll try to calm her down, just get here faster." With that being said Alex hangs up and takes a breath, preparing herself to brave two emotional Allison Gray's.

"Alex!" Allie greets, perking up at the sight of her best friend.

"Alex!" the double repeats.

"Oh I love this already," Alex comments sarcastically and holds out the Dr. Pepper to Allie.

"Thanks! Is Bruce almost here?"

"He's gonna be a hot minute. Poor Brucie ran into some trouble."

"Oh? What kind? Is he okay?"

"He's fine, well sort of, he's gonna have a black eye," Alex informs and Allie makes a cooing noise.

"Oh no! What happened?"

"You punched him in the face," Alex deadpans and Allie's cheerful expression falls.

"Excuse me?"

"That excited punching I know you do every time Spock and Bones kick ass together. Your clone with Bruce duplicated the action and decked poor Brucie Wayne across the face."

"Oh! Oh shit! Oh my God! I can't believe I did that!" Allie gushes in horror and starts waving her hand erratically. Alex watches unfazed until Allie starts getting upset and self-deprecating. "He must be so upset. Alex what if he never wants to talk to me again? What if I ruined everything?"

"Allison take a fuking breath," Alex demands and Allie, and the clone, both inhale deeply. "Bruce is utterly obsessed with you-" realizing her word choice she quickly adds, "within a healthy amount and one little punch isn't going to turn him off. It actually might turn him on." Allie's fear instantly turns to laughter and faux disgust as she bats at Alex.

"Alex!"

"Don't laugh too hard Allie, your ribs," Alex warns but smiles fondly.

"You're right, pain," Allie groans as her laughter shakes her chest.

"Lay back and try to keep as still as possible," Alex instructs. "Try not to punch Bruce again."

"I'll keep still until he gets here and I can figure out how to move independently."

"Good, I'll tell Bruce the coast is clear." Alex then walks from the room while muttering to herself the difficulties of having three Allie's around.

III

 _"She promises to sit tight, you should be good to go now_."

Bruce sighs in relief at the text from Alex and lets his head fall back on the headrest. He kisses Allie Two's hair and then shuffles her off his lap and then buckles her in. Bruce then heaves the wheelchair into his trunk and gets into the drivers seat.

The rest of the trip to GrayRidge Estate is blissfully uneventful.

On the drive he contemplates how Allie's knowledge of their vigilante behavior and her new powers will change things. Alex, Allie, and Bruce have had a fun dynamic between the biweekly schmoozing dinners, galas, and friendly business competition. The girls have become just as important to him as Alfred and Dick; his chosen family.

Bruce glances at the rearview mirror and lays his eyes on the peace Allison Gray.

"My heart had been empty for a long time before I met you Allison Gray, but you have brought back all my feelings." Bruce huffs and shakes his head, the words sound overly poetic and awkward. "You've always been better with words than me, than most."

Bruce Wayne sighs and shakes his head, returning his focus to the road.

"You're the key in this Allie. I need you to be alright with Batman, with the truth, because I need you and I need Alex in my life. Dick left and I can't take that again."

The body in the back of the car is silent and unmoving, she appears to hear nothing, but the girl in bed miles away hears it all.


	11. Chapter 11 The Talk

"Where should we start?"

Allie is sitting in a large armchair with her hands folded in her lap and smiling expectantly. Bruce and Alex sit before her in less comfortable and less grand chairs, both avoiding eye contact and tapping their fingers on the armrests.

The three have been sitting in the main living room in silence for quite some time now, Alex and Bruce both refusing to speak first.

"Alex?" Allie prompts.

"Bruce is Batman!" Alex blurts out.

"Fucking dammit Alex again!?" Bruce snaps and Allie shakes her head.

"Hey! Both of you!" Allie shouts and claps her hands. "You both have a lot of explaining to do."

"Why? Isn't it obvious by now?" Alex counters and crosses her arms.

"I need to hear it from the both of you."

"Bruce you go first," Alex defers and the man huffs.

"Fine." He turns to Allie and leans forward intently, engaging all her attention. "Allison, I am Batman and I have been for a long time."

"Thank you Bruce," Allie breathes out and reaches out to squeeze his hand. Hearing the admission from him makes it all real.

"I became Batman years ago to protect the city I love. All those years ago I could not save my parents; I became Batman so I could save other's parents, children, brothers, sisters. I live to protect and do justice for the victims."

Quiet surrounds them and Allie's eyes fall downcast and Bruce runs his thumb over her palm to comfort her.

"You did it for vengeance too," Alex cuts in and the moment shatters.

"Alex you ruined it," Allie pouts.

"No, I made it more dramatic," Alex corrects and Allie gives a relenting nod.

"That's my story," Bruce finishes and pointedly looks to Alex. Allie joins in his impending stare while Alex sheepishly smiles.

"Your turn Alex," Bruce prompts.

"N-no! You still haven't said how you became Batman or explained Robin or talked about the Batcave," Alex intercedes desperately.

"Batcave? Robin?" Allie inquires, taking the bait and shifting her focus. Bruce makes a displeased face and heaves a sigh. "Wait was Dick the Robin?"

"He-uh," Bruce starts and shakes his head. "Yeah, he was."

"He moved to Bludhaven...is he Nightwing now?"

"Yes."

"Why did he become Robin? He must have been about twelve when he donned the mask," Allie mumbles and Bruce drops his head down.

"Robin needed to help bring the man that killed his family to justice."

"So he would turn out like you?" Allie utters, not at all accusing but wholly wondering.

"So he wouldn't." The expression on Bruce's face is genuine, all he wanted was to help Dick, to stop another Batman from being created. "But he still did and that's why he left because he became too much like me."

"I understand," Allie says and cups Bruce's cheek. "You did your best and I am sure he knows that." Bruce leans into her touch and nods against her palm.

The moment is over all too fast and Bruce shoots a glare at Alex.

"It's really your turn now Aldridge," he huffs. "I don't think me discussing the tedious process of designing the suit and the tech really matters." The blonde vigilante crosses her arms and slouches back into her chair, defiantly sticking her nose up. Allie levels with her friend and stares intently into her eyes.

"Are you Gypsy Sentinel? Can you tell me the truth?"

"Yes."

Seconds of silence pass as the pair faces a new and forever changed future.

"Alex, it's time. We cannot keep her from this any longer."

"It's to protect her! Everything I've done, it was to protect her, to make this city safer for her," Alex seethes in Bruce's direction, angled away from Allie. "I took every precaution for her so you have to understand how hard this is for me to just give up." Bruce says nothing in reply but Allie cuts in.

"But Alex you've been Gypsy Sentinel longer than I've lived in Gotham," she points out.

"Exactly." Allie frowns a d Alex huffs, not wanting to fully confess. "I remembered the dreams of life we shared together and I wanted to build that life for us before I reached out to you."

The confession is loaded and Allie waves for Alex to elaborate causing the sterner blonde to grumble.

"I began by cleaning up the streets of Gotham and then I launched Gotham City Sentinel. I was planning on waiting until Gotham was safer, but I rose to fame and you came to me."

"For the longest time I thought you were dead but there was no funeral so I never really knew," Allie reveals and inhales shakily as she recalls those dark moments in her life. "Everything, and I mean everything, was searching for you and waiting for you to come back."

"You searched?"

"Yes, but you wouldn't be proud of me. I didn't look hard enough, I hit a dead end after you disappeared off the London Long Term Care records," Allie admits in a somber and weak tone while sniffling. "I assumed you died...again."

Alex watches as Allie cries and hiccups, her own emotions displaying more subtly with wet eyes and a blank expression.

"You couldn't have found me," Alex assures. "I'm proud you got that far."

"Where did you go?"

"It's too difficult to go into detail but I was trafficked in a metahuman ring. I was sold to a collector and for a year she held me. When I escaped her I couldn't imagine going to Metropolis so I moved to Gotham," Alex explains stoically, her resolve never cracking. She learned during her captivity how to hold a blank face, to conceal her grief.

"I went to Star City after Metropolis, I couldn't return either," Allie murmurs.

"What happened in Metropolis?" Both girls stiffen at Bruce's question, that day was traumatic for them both.

"Well Allie, where should I start?" It's a question as to how much Allie wants to reveal to Bruce about what went down.

"The beginning of the day," Allie decides and Alex nods, awkwardly smiling.

"April 30th, 2008," Alex breathes out and Allie goes slightly pale. "I was shot and I died at my father's mayoral commencement speech."

"I remember," Allie whispers as that day replays in both their heads.


End file.
